If you've ever sought advice about resume writing, you know the rule: A resume should never exceed two pages. Overburdened screeners should see just enough at first glance to be impressed. Hit the high points, set the hook and save the details for the face-to-face interview.
Yet rules are sometimes made to be broken. At times, resumes should exceed two pages and include comprehensive information that persuades employers, instead of just piques their interest.
This is especially true for senior executives or those who have made frequent employment shifts. Such candidates have too many employers and accomplishments to cram into just two pages. The resulting resume becomes so dense that Sam (or Suzy) Screener immediately tosses it.
Similarly, job seekers whose profiles contain many diverse elements and skills may find it difficult to summarize their gifts without omitting compelling sales points. So for multifaceted people in their 40s or 50s who have broad employment experience, the best approach may be (play an ominous organ chord here)... the long resume.
For Courteous Reading
Don't use a lengthy resume when you know it will land in a stack of responses that must be screened quickly. But if your resume is going to receive careful and courteous reading, a lengthier version may be a wise choice, especially in the following situations:
Long Means Just Long Enough
A long resume should be just long enough to get the job done. It must be comprehensive without being dauntingly verbose. Sixteen pages of single-spaced verbiage will exhaust any reader's patience. For a senior executive or professional, three or even four pages may be acceptable, particularly if white space is used generously to encourage easy reading and retention.
The techniques that follow for writing a long resume can prevent your self-marketing tool from looking like an Encyclopedia Britannica entry.
1. Use a reverse-chronological format.
In my view, this is the only way for sophisticated senior-level candidates to present their credentials. Reverse-chronological resumes answer readers' natural questions in a logical way:
2. Distinguish responsibilities from accomplishments .
Resume writers frequently confuse responsibilities and accomplishments , blending them into a common stew. The two are different:
The higher you rise in an organization, the fewer responsibilities you need to provide. You'll never see this on a resume: "Job Title: President and CEO. Responsibilities: Ran the place, with accountability for everything." And as you advance up the ladder, you gain more of those space-consuming accomplishments .
3. Create a special section for accomplishments.
One way to organize a long resume is to create a special section for key accomplishments, which would be inserted immediately after your "Profile" or "Career Summary" sections and called " Selected Career Accomplishments ."
Under this heading, include an accomplishment to match each major functional strength in your product profile. Six are sufficient, since that's about all the average reader can absorb. You also need room on the first page to cite your most recent employer and your job title, tenure and responsibilities there. This way, readers can see you're sticking to the reverse-chronological format and not trying to hide a gap in your job history.
4. Add an addendum.
Instead of inserting an Accomplishments section in the main body of your resume, consider featuring them in an addendum . Your resume would simply list your employers in reverse-chronological order in the "Employment History" section, without citing accomplishments. The second document, entitled "Selected Accomplishments" or "Relevant Career Achievements," would include those achievements.
By following this approach, you can say more about what you've accomplished, without slowing readers who want to first know your history. Make this document no more than two pages and organize it with headings keyed to your experience or functional expertise.
By labeling the ancillary document "Addendum," you're saying, "Here's additional information that expands on my basic pitch points, but you don't have to read it to get a feel for the product." Addenda also are appropriate for listing patents, articles, presentations, awards, professional activities, board memberships and relevant interests.
5. Create a separate document.
A third option is for the accomplishments document to be independent of your resume (it would provide your contact information at the top): "Yes, Ramona, I brought a resume which summarizes my basic career path. Also, if it would be of interest, I have listed some relevant career accomplishments in greater detail on a separate document. Would you be interested in seeing that too?"
You can provide the separate accomplishments document without your main resume if, for example, a recipient knows your career history but wants more information about your experience in a particular area.
A Judgment Call
By all means, use a short, concise resume if it's most effective. But if you're at a career stage where you have much to sell or many factors shape your marketability, use a format that delivers all the goods.
Article from CareerJournal Today – May 2005